Anyone prefer .009's ?

[pjdude]

I play 9's on everything - and I tune a half step down. No agg.

 

[opnoob]

I see what you mean, though you said, "9's are the new standard for the modern guitarist." That's a pretty definite statement, one that should be provable. One way to see whether a product is a new standard would be to look at sales.

If .009s are indeed a new standard, they should be outselling .010s, especially after more than 50 years on the market, but surprisingly it turns out they don't. I'd have thought more people played .009s, based on anecdotal evidence for many years among friends and colleagues, so I was surprised to read this, from Sweetwater; apparently .010s are the most popular gauge.

I'd guess they have sufficient sales figures to know what to order for their strore:

How to Choose Electric Guitar Strings - InSync | Sweetwater

Deciding between string gauges, materials, and brands can be a bit much. Follow these tips to help find the best guitar strings for your electric guitar!

www.sweetwater.com

I'm sure you'd agree that it really doesn't matter what string gauge is standard or trending among one's peers. It only matters that a product is your standard. String gauges that suit other people but don't suit you are obviously not the right choice, so it doesn't matter who else plays them.

I work with lots of session pros who've come into my studio to work with me on ad music projects, and have done so for about 33 years. They're all ages. I don't see much of a trend one way or the other, but they're going to work with whatever suits their playing style anyway. As should we all.

I'd point out that modern metal players often tune down and use heavier strings so they don't flop around. It wouldn't surprise me if there has been a resurgence in heavier gauge strings, like .011s and .012s in recent years.

Interesting that you forgot to include the "[I'm a relative newbie but it seems to me that] 9's are the new standard for the modern guitarist" part. Something that would be pretty important in making a so-called "definite statement" and "one that should be provable". By "modern guitarist", let me rephrase, I think young guitarists in general prefer 9s over 10s. Again, not sure how many more times I need to add the words "I think", "it seems to me", "by my anecdotal findings". There's a few possible reasons why 10s still outsell 9s. First, the electric guitar and guitar in general peaked in the 1960s to 1980s where rock, metal and otherwise guitar-rich instrumentals were much more dominant, and by my research and understanding, 9s were relatively uncommon (compared to today). That means the majority of players still playing and thus buying strings today are the same ones that played 20-30 years ago who grew up with 10s being more standard. These players being more experienced are also more particular and demanding. A new player wouldn't be quite as discerning over string gauge. So 10s would be the safer bet for a manufacturer to fit onto a factory guitar. The fact that almost all new guitars come standard with 10 gauge strings would thus reinforce the statistic that 10s are the most "popular" gauge. The more meaningful statistic would be what are the most popular strings when it comes to replacement? It wouldn't surprise me if it was still 10s, but I think 9's are pretty close and even more so among newer/younger generation of players.

And of course, I'm killing time on a Monday morning lol, 100% agree the stats don't really matter other than to cure my rampant curiosity. Everyone should play what they feel comfortable on.

 

[László]

Interesting that you forgot to include the "[I'm a relative newbie but it seems to me that] 9's are the new standard for the modern guitarist" part.

I didn't want to insult your post by mentioning that you're newbie, since how long you've played really doesn't matter if you're right. Someone who's played a week can have as valid an opinion as someone who's played for 55 years.

I didn't include it in order to be respectful.

As for the younger players/older players thing, my son and his bandmate have toured the world with their band (Partybaby, on Warner Bros Records, Portugal The Man, The Academy Is, 30 Seconds to Mars, and lots of session work in LA), are Fender endorsers, and both play .010s. Lots of outside session players I hire also play .010s, though lots play .09s and .011s. They're all ages.

9s were relatively uncommon (compared to today).

That's simply not correct. As I previously said, .009s have been consistently and extremely popular from the late '60s on.

 

[opnoob]

I didn't want to insult your post by mentioning that you're newbie, since how long you've played really doesn't matter if you're right. Someone who's played a week can have as valid an opinion as someone who's played for 55 years.

I didn't include it in order to be respectful.

As for the younger players/older players thing, my son and his bandmate have toured the world with their band (Partybaby, on Warner Bros Records, Portugal The Man, The Academy Is, 30 Seconds to Mars, and lots of session work in LA), are Fender endorsers, and both play .010s. Lots of outside session players I hire also play .010s, though lots play .09s and .011s. They're all ages.



That's simply not correct. As I previously said, .009s have been consistently and extremely popular from the late '60s on.

Not the hill I want to die on so

 

[László]

Not the hill I want to die on so

Me either!

 

[bodia]

I run 9s on all of my guitars

 

[Deleted member 5962]

9.5s are what I have on all my PRS's right now.

 

[Lewguitar]

That's simply not correct. As I previously said, .009s have been consistently and extremely popular from the late '60s on.

When I was learning to play in the 1960's no one I knew was using .009.

The first set of really light strings I saw were Fender Rock and Roll strings with a .010 E and an unwound G.

I read about some guys in the know who were using a banjo string for the E string, and then moving all the strings down and then throwing away the low E string.

But there was no set of strings available like that, that I ever saw.

At least not until the Fender Rock and Roll strings came out around 1967 or so.

 

[11top]

=> 25.5 9s
< 25.5 10s

 

[László]

When I was learning to play in the 1960's no one I knew was using .009.

The first set of really light strings I saw were Fender Rock and Roll strings with a .010 E and an unwound G.

I read about some guys in the know who were using a banjo string for the E string, and then moving all the strings down and then throwing away the low E string.

But there was no set of strings available like that, that I ever saw.

At least not until the Fender Rock and Roll strings came out around 1967 or so.

I started playing in '67. I definitely played .009s.

 

[Gtrbldr]

=> 25.5 9s
< 25.5 10s

Even with 25.5 use 010s, except for the occasional 24 fretted Floyd equiped shredder

 

[Black Plaid]

I prefer the sound and feel of 9s.

I went with the herd for a long time and put 10s on my guitars, and realized there really wasn't anything I actually liked about them a few years back.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

10’s for me, but I’m old “new school” and drink Irn Bru made with girders.

 

[Lewguitar]

I started playing in '67. I definitely played .009s.

What brand? Do you recall?

 

[PRSWILL]

9-46's Elixirs here. Except for one Les Paul with 10's - it has 490/498's in it and it sounds fatter with the 10s.

 

[opnoob]

9-46's Elixirs here. Except for one Les Paul with 10's - it has 490/498's in it and it sounds fatter with the 10s.

Same here, 9-46 Optiwebs are awesome. But D'adarrio10s on my Les Paul.

 

[greatmutah]

Funnily enough, my SE Santana has 9 - 46s on it. I don’t tune it below standard and with the 24.5” scale and 12” radius board, 9 - 46 is a blast to play. Very slinky bending and action on that guitar. It came stock with 9 - 42 and I knew I wanted to beef up the wound strings a little, I really enjoyed the lighter top strings. So that set works for me. It’s just fun to play on that guitar.

 

[László]

What brand? Do you recall?

Might as well have been 1867, right? I mean, we're getting into the Wayback Machine here. But I started playing in '67.

Very early on, someone told me about a new brand with strings that were easy to bend, called Ernie Ball. I remember having the guitar set up for .009s, I didn't know how to do it. I recall that as being around the time that I started. That's the best I can do in terms of date. Could it have been '68? I dunno. Sure, maybe.

In any event, I can still picture the pink packages in the accessory compartment of that yellow-lined Gibson case.

 

[KentuckyBoiledChiccan]

I play 11s half step down. I also have a history of self-inflicted painful personal and professional choices

 

[Alnus Rubra]

I started playing in '67. I definitely played .009s.

What brand? Do you recall?

Might as well have been 1867, right? I mean, we're getting into the Wayback Machine here. But I started playing in '67.

Very early on, someone told me about a new brand with strings that were easy to bend, called Ernie Ball. I remember having the guitar set up for .009s, I didn't know how to do it. I recall that as being around the time that I started. That's the best I can do in terms of date. Could it have been '68? I dunno. Sure, maybe.

In any event, I can still picture the pink packages in the accessory compartment of that yellow-lined Gibson case.

Beat me to it!

Maybe 1767, after all the dandy’s we’re wearing pink at that time.